Why Do You Do It?

My Story. Ok, everyone likes a tear jerker now and then. Maybe you won’t cry but I might get a little moist around the eyes just remembering…On the surface I may look like an ordinary Mennonite housewife, clad in dresses and a head covering. So why do I stick my neck out and blog for all those unknown people
in the Greater World? To put it simply it’s because I identified with them. And because I identified, I cared, and when one’s heart is moved with compassion, they got to do something about it right? Well, it seems like the only thing I could do that was truly effective was write, so write I did—do. ;^). Scuse my grammar!

I wasn’t always a Mennonite. My Mom was, but she got swept away from the center of the current when she fell in love with someone who didn’t grow up “in the church”. He joined the church, but soon tired of it, I suppose, and took his family far away. Well, far enough away at least, that they didn’t come back very often. That would have been fine for some people, I suppose, but Mom was lonesome for her beloved family and beloved church. When Marilyn, hey, that’s me! Came along, she soon learned that those relatives of Mom’s were pretty special people. You know, like as in kind and caring. This information would become more valuable to her in the years to come, because she was growing up in a family that was more or less isolated from the main stream of society. And did you know that folks that don’t blend in might have something to hide? Maybe not, but for some reason they aren’t comfortable with their neighbours and the children suffer, Mom and Dad suffer, we all suffer. People need people.

               Things happened that left terrible scars. Let that suffice for now, but those wounds went really deep and took a long time to heal. I thought I had forgiven my Dad. Hey, everyone knows that’s the Christian thing to do, but you know what? I didn’t know the first thing about forgiveness until…

               Let’s get back to those kind and loving relatives. Do you know the story about how Old Man North Wind and Little Miss Sunshine both decided to take off this man’s coat? Old Man North Wind huffed and he puffed, and he huffed and he puffed but that poor, shivering man clung to his coat tighter than ever. Well, it was little Miss Sunshine’s turn to give it a try. She beamed at the man and snuggled up to him ‘til he was so warm that…well you know the rest, he didn’t need that ole shell any more.

               My Christian relatives, and others in the church were like Miss Sunshine; so warm and inviting that they just drew me in. But I didn’t forget the pain. No sirree. God used them in a major way to help heal the wounds from my childhood. My heart went out, nay, overflowed towards children who were also suffering from abuse. I wanted so badly to take suffering children into our home and help them find happiness and healing.  But that wasn’t supposed to be. I have a feeling the Heavenly Father knew I was too fragile emotionally while my own children were still around me to handle more than I was at that time.

But as I truly learned to forgive, I healed …and the children were growing. I am a Grandma now, with more time on my hands, and I still care about you.  If there’s any post that you find especially poignant, I’m glad. May it really bless you, and pray for me that I can continue to be a channel of God’s love. He has done so much for me, that I yearn so deeply to share it with those of you who have never been touched by those Healing Rays. I wish I knew better how to do it.